The New York Islanders got some help on Sunday in the wild-card race.
The New York Islanders got some help on Sunday in the wild-card race.
The New York Islanders will need help to qualify for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Despite beating the Boston Bruins on Saturday night for a third straight victory, the Islanders did not gain any ground on the third-place Philadelphia Flyers, who beat the Ottawa Senators 4-2, remaining five points back with two games in hand.
The distance between the Islanders and the second wild-card Tampa Bay Lightning grew by a point, creating a six-point gap after the Bolts defeated the Montreal Canadiens in a shootout.
The Islanders do have three games in hand.
The one result that did allow the Islanders to gain ground was the top wild-card Detroit Red Wings falling 4-0 to the Florida Panthers, allowing New York to move within six points of Steve Yzerman's squad with a game in hand.
While the Islanders were off on Sunday, the Washington Capitals, the New Jersey Devils, and the Pittsburgh Penguins were all in action, three teams chasing New York in the standings.
The Hockey gods came up large, as the Capitals lost to the Arizona Coyotes 5-2, the Deivls fell 5-1 to the Los Angeles Kings, and the Penguins were dominated 6-1 by the Edmonton Oilers.
The Capitals remain a point behind the Islanders, the Devils remain two points back with one more game played, while the Penguins sit four points back with a game in hand.
The Islanders will be off Monday night, returning to action Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues.
The Blues will be in action Monday, as they face the Flyers at 7 PM, which means the Islanders will get them on their second leg of a back-to-back.
If Philadelphia loses to St. Louis, the Islanders can move three points back of third place with two games in hand if their Tuesday result goes the way they want.